Sheffield Wednesday: Weaver lands Owls coaching role

Lifelong Sheffield Wednesday fan Nicky Weaver has been appointed the club’s new academy goalkeeping coach.

The 35-year-old, who enjoyed two spells with the Owls during his playing days, takes over from Mark Crossley, who moved to Barnsley last season.

Weaver will work predominantly with Wednesday’s young startlets, including Joe Wildsmith and Cameron Dawson.

Former England Under-21 international Weaver, who represented Mansfield Town, Manchester City, Charlton Athletic, Dundee United and Aberdeen in his career, told The Star: “It’s great to be back at the club.

“I’ve only been away from the place for just over a year so it’s great to be back. Once the opportunity arose, it was too good an opportunity for me to turn down. I’ve been at the club for the last couple of months and I’m really enjoying it.”

Weaver could have prolonged his playing career. He had several offers from home and abroad but ultimately decided to return to Hillsborough.

“I could have carried on playing,” he said. “I played at Aberdeen last season and really enjoyed it.

“I turned a couple of things down. If something had jumped out that I had really fancied, I may have gone for it. The things that popped up didn’t feel right for me.

“I did want to carry on playing but there does come a time when you’ve got to hang your boots up and I didn’t want to let this opportunity pass me by. Everything has to come to an end at some point.

“Once I made the decision that I was going to retire, there was only one thing that I was going to do and that was come here.”

Weaver knows first-choice Owls shot-stopper Keiren Westwood from their days together at Premier League champions Manchester City, who the Owls face in the third round of the Capital One Cup next week.